New York Medical College - Fleuroscope Yearbook (Valhalla, NY)

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SENIOR3 Class of 1937

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Fifty-six THE LAST PORTRAIT :I-N THE SECOND CENTURY, Galen taught that man was governed by four humours-blood, phlegm, .1 yellow bile, and black bile. The temperament of our earth has been divided into four periods-Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn. And so it occurs to the writer that the attainment of a medical career which is also divided into four periods, may be likened to the four humors or seasons. R QQ ' Nl -. :F N tit LN! x Who can gainsay the thought that our Freshman 'Win ' year did not have the icy darkness of a long winter night? Fraught with fear of the unknown, attended constantly by the vision of a scythe above as ready with one full swoop to sever us from our newly- found ties, we entered medical school four years ago. The Boss's observation that many of us were really fitted to drive taxis, supported by grades of 60 and 65 in the first few quizzes did not lighten our mood any. But soon the burning desire to know the human body grossly and microscopically dissipated our gloom somewhat and as one body we surged forward, radiant in the knowl- edge that we had really started our life-work. Fortified by this realization we began to take the quizzes and the Boss in stride, learning before long that under his hardened exterior he was the neophyte's best friend. Of course, Doctors Stark and Allen did not add to our peace of mind, for many was the ear that burned from Mary's scorching criticism of a puerile histological or embryological drawing. Chemistry became a live, interesting subject, especially in view of Dr. Kleiner's attitude for making it so clear and concise. But the inevitable had to happen, and our joy in obtaining passing grades was somewhat dimmed by the loss of those we had learned to like. The arrogance or insolence of a Sophomore is only paralled by a moth's disdain of a death-dealing flame. Serene in the thought that we were capable and could master our chosen work, we could smile at the world, free of the fear of a year before. Our medical training was now in its budding stage, the Spring of our four years. But our confidence and arrogance was short-lived, for soon wemet the flame in the Department of Pharmacology with its Doctors Boyd and Scharf, and quiz conferences. We found to our immense grief that talk of a cat's nine lives was poppycock, and that it was extremely easy for a cat to lose its one life. That mid-year request for our photographs was also enough to take the wind out of our sails. Bacteriology was a very interesting course and held no terrors for any of us, but Dr. Florence could always be depended upon to keep the boys at work. Her amazing faculty for knowing the name of each student on the first day was something to marvel at. Dr. Youland's thymicostaticuslymphaticus, Dr. Yerbury's raising of the anterior skirt, and Dr. Leinoff's diction also served as intimate parts of the Sophomoric pattern. The latter two courses made us think of our rela- tionship to the patient for the first time. We may truly say that our second year was our introduction to Medicine. Q In all educational institutions the Iuniors apparently bear the brunt of all activities, social and didactic. We were no exception as witness the enormous number of courses we were called upon to carry. The immensity of the task before us-32 courses, and the friction engendered by the constant rubbing of our hindermost parts on the benches of the various lecture rooms were sufficient to